Congratulations to all of the 2015 ENnie Award Nominees and to all of the 2015 Judges’ Spotlight winners! Click the link below (or above) to view the nominees/winners and to download a larger version to place on your web page! You can also get a peek at our new medals this year, provided by our sponsor Campaign Coins.

While I’m sure it’s a great product, it feels wrong to let it be nominated for a prestigious RPG award, especially when so many writers toe the line and only use IP they have the rights to.

It sends a message that it’s okay to steal someone else’s theme without their permission. When games like Munchkin and Fluxx bring in the money needed to support their respective companies’ work on new, innovative games, by legally using IP, giving an award to a product that is doing so without those licenses sends a message that the gaming industry can’t be trusted to respect the rights of other creative folks.

What’s more, as a new member of the design side of this industry, I’ve been led to believe that we are a close knit group, one that respects each other’s work, and that we would shun anyone who copied from someone else. Does that only apply to copying from within the community? Are we allowed to steal from outside of it? That doesn’t sound right to me.

Don’t get me wrong: I know that we live in a world where borrowing from someone else to garner attention and distribute something for free has become de rigeur. And this product isn’t technically for sale (although it was being distributed through DriveThruRPG until it was taken down, apparently, due to copyright issues). But still, it seems like it sends the wrong message that such a product should be up for an award. And if it isn’t for sale, is it technically being submitted by a “publisher?” I suppose that’s a different question.

The real question: do the ENnies support the idea of flaunting IP ownership?

I hope not. But I guess that’s just the reaction of a two bit game designer.